Response of radial growth of Pinus koraiensis and Picea jezoensis to climate change in Xiao-xing'anling Mountains, Northeast China

Abstract

Based on dendrochronological methods, we established residual chronologies of Pinus koraiensis and Picea jezoensis, with the dominant species of broadleaved Korean pine mixed forest at low altitudes chosen as the research object, to identify the key climatic factors affecting the radial growth of the two species in Xiaoxing'anling Mountains, Northeast China. The results showed that the responses of the two species to climate factors were different, and P. koraiensis was more sensitive, and hence more suitable for dendroclimatological analysis. Response function coefficients indicated that the radial growth of P. koraiensis negatively correlated with June mean temperature of current year, while positively correlated with precipitation in June of current year. There was no significant correlation between P. jezoensis and all climate variables. Spatial correlation analysis revealed that variations in chronology of P. koraiensis contained strong regional signals, and the highest correlation occurred in the vicinity of the study area. Warming caused drought stress, which was the main factor that limited the growth of P. koraiensis, and it might have adverse effects on the Korean pine if global temperature continues to increase. The coupling effects of large-scale atmospheric-oceanic variability may affect the radial growth of P. koraiensis in Xiaoxing'anling Mountains.